Metallic capsule, notably for bottles



Nov. 3, 1964 M. cRos METALLIC CAPSULE, NOTABLY FOR BOTTLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1963 METALLIC CAPSULE, NOTABLY FOR BOTTLES Filed Aug. 7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 3, 1964 M. CROS METALLIC CAPSULE, NOTABLY FOR BOTTLES 5 Sheets- Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 7, 1963 &

/4.IIIIIIIIIIIIII4Z Nov. 3, 1964 M. CROS METALLIC CAPSULE, NOTABLY FOR BOTTLES 5. Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 7, 1963 22] Eyfl.

Nov. 3, 1964 M. 0205 3, 6

METALLIC CAPSULE, NOTABLY FOR BOTTLES Filed Aug. 7, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 47 1 Jill-.1312:1:11 39 43 This "invention relates to crimped metallic capsules, notably for bottles of the type having a skirt shaped to permit the crimping thereof under the head of the bottle or like container, and which is formed along its skirt with one or more spaced radial cut portions forming as many lugs terminating short of the skirt edge and extending inwardly to the top face of the capsule, whereby in the crimped condition the user can unseal the bottle 'or container Without using any tool, by simply lifting the inner end of each lug and tearing off this lug.

It was observed that on the one hand it is difficult to properly grip the lugs on the top of the capsule for tearing oif these lugs along the lines of incipient cutting, and that on the other hand once the capsule is removed from the bottle subsequent to the lifting or tearing of 7 these lugs its strength is not sufiicient to permit the re-use or sealing of the bottle.

As a rule, the lines of incipient cuttmg weaken the capsule or crown, thus impairing its tightness and rendering same ill suited for stopping liquid-containingbottles after its first use, notably in the case of liquids releasing gas under a relatively high pressure as in the case of sparkling drinks.

However, the many attempts made with a view to impart to crimped-type seals, crowns or capsules, for example crown-corks having the essential properties of lending themselves very easily to mass production and to their handling and fitting at very high rates on containers, and also of withstanding very high pressure without leaking and of carrying publicity, not to mention their considerable resistance to chemical as well as mechanical agents, with the two additional properties of manual opening and efiicient re-use on a previously opened bottle, these attempts have led to capsules which achieve or display some of these properties but at the expenses of one or more of important properties such as resistance to pressure, appearance and more particularly the capsule handling, fitting and crimping rates. Thus, the change in shape caused in a capsule adapted to be opened or removed manually prevents its subsequent re-use in highrate capsuling machines without causing holdups or faulty operation therein, and the fluid-tightness of the capsule may even be lost completely in case of complementary deformation by shock.

It is the essential object of this invention to provide improvements for avoiding these two drawbacks.

According to these improvements, at leastone circular, corrugated, continuous or discontinuous groove or rib is formed by pressing respectively on the upper or lower face of the capsule, this groove or rib extending across the inner end of the aforesaid lugs bounded laterally by preferably convergent and radial lines of incipient cutting, the diameter of the outer edge of this groove or rib corresponding substantially to-the inner'diameter of the neck of the bottle or like container so as to engage with a certain pressure the adequate sealing gasketprovided in the capsule.

With this arrangement, the following advantages are obtained: 7

(1) Fast distribution: When the capsule has been rendered unsealable by forming the aforesaid lines of incipient cutting therein, it is re-shaped by pressing the United States Patent groove or rib, thus stiffening the capsule and reclosing the aforesaid lines, whereby the capsule is free of any deformation, projecting points or unevennesses, and can thus 7 be distributed at rates at least as high as those of conventional crown-corks.

(2) Fluid tightness: The shape and position of the groove or rib are such that they increase the sealing surface area, the groove or rib, or one of the grooves or ribs having for its larger diameter a dimension only very slightly inferior to the dimension of the inner diameter of the top of the neck of the bottle or other container; when the crimping step is carried out the capsule is given a curved configuration corresponding in shape to the edge of the container throughout the thickness of its end wall. Thus, the sealing joint is formed not only along the outer edge of the top of the container, but also throughout the thickness of the edge of the container.

A capsule formed with the aforesaid lines of incipient cutting of the tear-off lugs and with the aforesaid groove or rib is rendered fluid-tight by an intermediate gasket disposed between the capsule and the container, this gasket consisting for example of a polyethylene film, even in the case of bottles or-containers chipped along its outer portion (which is a frequent occurrence with bottles previously improperly unsealed or uncorked). On the other hand this constitutes an additional advantage since bottles frequently rejected as too notchy can be re-used.

(3) Publicity: With this groove, by which any unevenness is removed while re-shaping the capsule, the advertising value of the capsule is preserved and increased.

(4) Resistance to shocks: The groove or rib, of which the larger diameter is slightly inferior to the inner dia1neter of the edge .of the container, reinforces the crimping effect for this edge is then clamped between the groove or rib and the skirt portion of the capsule. In other words, this edge is gripped as in a U-section. A shock applied to this skirt is not transmitted to the top of the capsule for it is absorbed by the groove or rib, and similarly :a :shock applied upon the top of the capsule is not transmitted to the crimped portion of the skirt.

(5) Easy manual opening: In fact, as the shape of the tear-olfilugs isaltered at their free inner ends by the circular groove or rib, these ends are slightly raised as a consequence ofthe crimping of the capsule on the container, thus providing an easy grip for the users fingers and removing a ground of fear or apprehension as to the likelihood of injuring ones fingers as currently observed with other ,types of capsules not provided with this groove. Furthermore,:the rocking movement whereby the capsule edge is :broken for opening the capsule is facilitated.

(6) Efficient re-sealing capacity: This capsule may be lined internally with ,a plastic disc of polyethylene or like material so designed that the upper face of the reinforced annular portion of this disc enagages the aforesaid groove orrib.

Even if this disc were omitted and if a flat flexible gasket were substituted therefor, since the position and shape of the groove or rib are very close to the inner edge of the top of the container and increase, as already explainedihereinabove, the-area of forced contact between the gasket andthe container, the latter jcan be re-sealed very efficiently with far better results than those obtained with any other capsule notprovided'with this groove or rib.

'This method of sealing and .unsealing containers is applicable not only to the so-calledcrown-cork capsules but also to lids and covers of barrels, buckets, pails, boxes, etc., irrespective of .the material, whether metallic or not, from which they are made.

Exhaustive.testshave proved-that a bottle sealedwith capsules according to this invention and wherein an air r 3 pressure of about 13 kilograms per square centimeter (185 psi) is produced remains perfectly sealed; in other words, when this bottle is immersed in water neither the slightest leakage nor the least air bubble is produced.

It is known that sealing capsules incorporating a central cup and an outer flange provide a fluid-tight sealing action as a consequence of the tightness obtained between the neck of the container and the skirt of the cup on the one hand and between the flange and the bead of the bottle neck on the other hand; however, under these conditions it is difficult to remove the gasket from the bottle. As contrasted thereto the arrangement of this invention, which provides on the one hand a groove having its major diameter slightly greater than the inner diameter of the neck of the container, and on the other hand another groove or circular recess formed in the junction zone between the sleeve or the cup and the flange provides a kind of flexible hinge portion which, without impairing the tightness property of the seal, impart a greater flexibility to the stopping device and facilitates the removal of the sealing capsule.

According to another feature characterizing this invention, a circular thinning line or groove is provided along one fraction of the flange circumference, whereby, when a thin strip of this flange is torn off, a ring constituting a cup gripping member is released.

If desired, this thinning line or groove may be replaced with a wire extending along one fraction of the flange circumference, so that when the user pulls this wire the gripping ring is formed automatically.

A bead may be formed by molding near the edge of said flange to reinforce same, this head extending along the entire periphery or between button-holes formed at the ends of the tear-off line to avoid the complete removal of the marginal portion of the flange.

A great number of different shapes may be contemplated for the gasket or seal, and the cross-sectional areas of the outer groove and "of the junction groove constitute other variables. Thus, in the case of a cup-type seal the groove is a fillet connecting the flange to the skirt of the cup.

In order to aflord a clearer understanding of this invention, various forms of embodiment of capsules designed according to the teachings of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a sealing capsule before the crimping step;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken upon the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but after th capsule has been crimped onto a bottle;

FIGURE 4 is a plane view from above showing the capsule of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the capsule in its crimped condition;

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional view showing on a larger scale the capsule during the crimping operation, the section being taken upon the line VIVI of FIG. 4;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the device in its crimped condition;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken upon the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 4 but on a larger scale;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are detail sectional views showing containers sealed with capsules according to this invention;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view showing a cup-type gasket ready for the sealing operation with its companion crimping capsule;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view showing a flat gasket provided with an inner skirt;

FIGURE 13 is a section showing a modified form of embodiment of the gasket of FIG. 11;

FIGURE 14 is a plane view from above of the sam gasket; and

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the gasket 'of FIGS. 13 and 14.

A few lugs, for example three lugs 14, 15 and 16, are formed on the capsule illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, by cutting along radial lines 18 and 19.

These lines extend from a point located short of the free edge 20 of skirt 7 to a point lying near the central region 21 of the capsule top, this region remaining whole and being adapted to receive advertising or other inscriptions.

A capsule thus prepared with its lines of incipient cutting is subsequently pressed to form on its top at least one circular groove 22 bridging or intersecting the inner ends of lugs 14, 15 and 12, so that these lugs project or not slightly beyond the inner edge 25 of groove 22.

This pressing step will on the one hand re-close the cut lines 18, 19 and thus eliminate any unevennesses or mis-shapen portions likely to have been formed in the capsule during the lug cutting step, and on the other hand reinforce and stiffen the capsule itself.

When the capsule is being crimped on the bottle 2 (see FIG. 3), the setting of the pleated or corrugated skirt portion underlying the head 3 of the bottle neck causes the inner ends of lugs 14, 15 and 12 to be slightly bent outwardly, whereby they can be gripped by the users fingers with greater facility and without impairing the fluidtightness of the device.

If care is taken that the main groove 22 is so formed and dimensioned that the diameter of its outer edge 26 corresponds very approximately to the inner diameter of the bead 3 of the container to be sealed, the shape of the inner gasket 24 is somewhat altered during the capsule crimping operation (see FIG. 3). This gasket 24 may be of any suitable design, for example of disc shape (FIGS. 2 and 3), or in the form of a cup plug (FIGS. 6 to 8). When the skirt 7 is being set under the bead 3 (FIG. 7) the gasket 24 will seal the entire edge surface of the container.

Of course, this invention should not be construed as being limited neither by the number and shape of the lugs illustrated in the drawings, nor by the single circular groove formed in the top face of the capsule, for the capsule can be pressed either from above or from beneath to provide a plurality of circular or corrugated concentric grooves or ribs, the main groove or rib having in all cases an outer diameter approximating the inner diameter of the neck of the container.

When the skirt 7 is crimped under the bead 3 of the bottle neck a fluid-tight seal is formed between the entire surface of the closing member 24 and the top and interior of the bottle neck by means of the lateral wall of the cup and its horizontal flange portion. The cup may be convex as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, or flat as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, or open at the bottom as shown in FIG. 12 and the flange 56 may be either flat or concavoconvex.

FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate a container 28, such as a can having rollededges 29, with a large-diameter uncrimped lid 30 formed with a wide circular peripheral groove 22 in which the radial lines of incipient cutting 18, 19 have been formed beforehand to constitute as many tear-off lugs 14. A gasket 31 is pressed with the groove. If desired, two grooves 22 and 32 may be provided, one near the edge and the other near the lug ends, the lugs being slightly raised as a consequence of the crimping step as already explained hereinabove.

The gasket illustrated in FIG. 11 is a plastic flanged cup comprising a cup portion 34 having a cylindrical lateral skirt 54 of a diameter d slightly greater than the inner diameter D of the neck of the bottle to be sealed, this cup having an upper annular flange 35 adapted to fit on the bead 3 of the bottle. This flange may be flat, bulged, ribbed, with or without outer skirt, etc.

According to this invention, this flange is connected to the cup by means of a circular fillet 36 formed in the thickness of the gasket material on its outer face and also by means of a groove 39 formed on its inner face. Thus, a flexible hinge is provided between the flange and the cup.

A bevel 38 may be formed at the joint between the rigid bottom 34 of the cup, which may be flat or convex, and the skirt 54.

This arrangement provides a fluid-tight gasket adapted to withstand the pressure produced within the container and which, nevertheless, can easily be fitted md removed due on the one hand to the aforesaid bevel 38 facilitating the stopping of the container and, on the other hand, to the thinning out of the gasket material between the fillet 36 and groove 39.

Moreover, this fillet 36 permits of fitting therein the rib 22 formed on the inner face of the capsule 1 of the crimped type, thus affording a better sealing effect and a more efficient stopping, due to the permanent resilient contact between this gasket and the inner face 37 of the neck and the head 3, which contact may be controlled by means of stud-like projections 33 formed by pressing on the inner face of the skirt of the capsule 1, the initial function of these projections consisting in holding the gasket within the metallic capsule to prevent their separation during the handling and other steps preceding the first stopping operation.

The gasket shown in FIG. 12 is a disc or washer 41 formed with an integral cylindrical sleeve 42 having an outer diameter d slightly inferior to the inner diameter D of the neck of the container. er end with a bevelled portion 43 to facilitate the introduction of the gasket and merges into the flange 44 through a circular groove 45. The outer face of the disc is formed on the other hand with a circular groove 46 forming in conjunction with the groove 45 a thinned zone and consequently a hinge-like portion facilitating the flexible pivoting of the flange 44 on the gasket body.

The outer edge of this gasket may be either formed with a head 40 or connected to an external skirt or like portion.

To further facilitate the unsealing or removal of gaskets of this type, a circular tear-off line 47 may be provided, as shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. This line formed by thinning out the material, or by stippling, inserting a tearing yarn, etc. extends preferably along one fraction of the flange circumference so as to leave, when torn out, a short strip of material connecting the intact portion of the flange to the cut portion 48 constituting a kind of gripping ring. a

This line 47 of incipient cutting extends preferably along only the four fifths of the circumference, a pair of button-hole like cavities 49 being provided at the ends of this line 47 to limit the tearing effect and avoid the complete separation of the flange.

This sleeve is formed at its low- In order to increase the strength of ring 48 a head 50 may be provided along the outer marginal portion of the flange, in the vicinity of the line 47, the button-holes 49 being inscribed in this bead, as shown.

In a modified form of embodiment shown in FIG. 15, additionalradial beads 51 serve only the purpose of connecting the button-holes 4-9 to the edge of said flange.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the inven tion and appended claim.

What I claim is:

A bottle stopper for a bottle having a neck and a bead thereabout, comprising a cap having a flat top surface and an annular crimped depending skirt adapted to be constricted about the bead of the bottle neck, a plurality of concentric radially extending tongues defined by incised radial lines extending from points adjacent the bottom of the skirt to intermediate points on the top surface and connected by substantially straight incised lines at their inner ends, means defining at least one inwardly concaved annular groove in said top surface intersecting the radial lines outwardly of the straight incised lines, said groove being of a circumference slightly less than the inner diameter of the bottle neck, and being convexed to form an annular rib on the under side of the cap, whereby compression of the crimped skirt about the bead on the bottle will exert pressure on the convexed rib formed by said groove to raise the portion of the tongues interiorly of the groove to a position above the level of said top surface to permit grasping and tearing out of said tongues from the inner ends thereof to remove said cap from the bottle neck, and an internal sealing gasket of resilient material including a flange overlying the top of the bottle neck and a depending portion extending into the neck of the bottle, secured to the under side of said fiat top surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,864 Mason et al. Apr. 25, 1916 1,899,210 Ramsay Feb. 28, 1933 2,130,609 Alexander Sept. 20, 1938 2,705,085 Glensky Mar. 29, 1955 2,706,572 Tocco Apr. 19, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,042 Belgium May 15, 1957 

